Let 'em Sleep
by LexLemon
Summary: Daniel awakes off-world one morning, to observe Jack and Sam while they sleep. Completely pointless fluff.


Title: Let 'em Sleep  
Author: LexKitten  
Season: Three/Fourish? Early, but non-specific.  
Summary: Daniel awakes off-world one morning, to observe Jack and Sam while they sleep. Completely pointless fluff.  
Disclaimer: Made for love, not for profit.  
Rating: PG! Don't get your hopes up folks =P

A/N: My criminal law assignment got so mind-numbing that I just _had_ to write something silly to keep me sane. The result is this disgustingly fluffy pointless ficlette. I'm sorry to inflict it on you all. ^^;

I wrote this to "Razorblade" by the Strokes. The lyrics are all wrong, but I think the tone is right. (If you have it, put it on!! ^.^)

* * *

The cruel cold light of morning had only just begun to permeate the tent flaps when Daniel awoke. As always, it took him a few minutes to remember exactly which planet he was on, and why he was awake. He groggily looked around the tent, recognising the dull lump that was Sam beside him, and Jack asleep next to her on the far side of the tent. One of them had made a noise – a funny little muffled cry – that woke him up.

He glared at Jack, assuming he was the offending party. Usually, Daniel woke to the sound of Jack swearing and grumbling as he readied himself to relieve Teal'c for the dawn watch. But on closer inspection, Daniel discerned Jack was still very much asleep, his mouth hanging open unattractively.

Daniel heard another strange whimper nearby – definitely the same noise that had roused him from his sleep. He looked bewilderedly at Sam - it must have come from her.

Sure enough, as Daniel watched she curled up in her sleep and whimpered again - cowering away from some invisible attacker. Her face contorted in fear, though what she was afraid of Daniel couldn't know. She was having a bad dream.

Almost fully conscious now, Daniel wondered if he should wake her. Surely escaping the night-mare was worth being woken up so early. On the other hand, maybe she would be embarrassed if he woke her up – it was hard to know what would offend Sam's military pride. He hesitated, weighing his options.

She whimpered again, and Daniel decided he had to wake her. He leant forward to touch her shoulder, when a new movement in the tent made him stop; Jack had turned over towards Sam in his sleep. Still apparently out cold, he flung his arm over her and pulled her into his chest. Almost instantly, Sam relaxed, uncurling herself against Jack's body. She reached her hands up to his chest, clasping his cotton under-shirt in her fists. "Shhh," he mumbled, speaking from somewhere within his subconscious. "s'alright."

She made another little sound that was muffled against his chest. It wasn't a frightened whimper this time however. Daniel thought it sounded more like a contented sigh.

His face heating up, Daniel backed away as far as he could inside the small tent. It wasn't the first time he had seen them act this way. He'd lost count of the number of times Jack and Sam ended up tangled together in their sleep. Still, he always felt uncomfortable when he saw them like this. Probably because he knew if they were awake, they wouldn't appreciate him seeing them like this. Infact, Daniel thought ruefully, if they were awake, they wouldn't have let themselves act this way.

Daniel smirked at his friends. As usual, by the time they woke up, Jack and Sam would have untangled themselves and be none the wiser to their subconscious antics.

Maybe he should just get up and leave, Daniel mused. He didn't like to stay in the tent, with the two of them pressed together like they were. Talk about a third wheel. It was all the worse, because the weather here was so humid they had all slept in their thinnest clothes, without sleeping bags. There was absolutely no mistaking how close together they were. Jack's arms were fastened around Sam's body, his hands on her lower back, holding her in place.

As he watched, Sam mewed in her sleep again and rubbed her nose against Jack's chest. Jack, in response, burrowed his face into her hair, pressing his mouth against the top of her head in what Daniel feared was a lazy kiss.

Daniel decided it was _definitely_ time he left. As quietly as he could, he gathered up his jacket and a pair of boots, and stumbled out of the tent.

Teal'c was seated calmly a few feet from the tent, his eyes on the valley below the clearing keeping a look out. He turned his head at the sound of Daniel fiddling with the tent flap. "Where is O'Neill?" he asked as Daniel emerged. "Should we not wake him for the dawn watch?"

"See for yourself," Daniel said, gesturing at the tent behind him.

Teal'c got up slowly and paced quietly to the tent flap. He peered inside, before quickly withdrawing his head. "Ah," he said knowingly, returning to his spot on the crest of the hill. He exchanged a sly smile with Daniel. "Let them sleep, then," he decreed.

"That's what I was thinking," Daniel agreed. "We can do the dawn watch." There was no reason to bring Jack and Sam back to reality just yet. They might as well sleep, and dream, for a few hours more.


End file.
